BETHLEHEM, Pa. – American claimed two of the four Patriot League Field Hockey weekly awards when the League office announced the first set of honors for the 2022 season. Colgate and Lafayette claimed one accolade apiece.
American sophomore forward Federica Turina Dellamaggiore posted her first collegiate hat trick against Central Michigan to earn Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week. Eagles’ junior goalkeeper Bryn Underwood shut out the Chippewas to claim the sixth Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week award of her career.
Lafayette senior defender Simone Hefting captured Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week after anchoring the Leopards’ defense during a 1-1 opening weekend. She had one defensive save in a season-opening loss before helping hold Bryant to two shots on goal in a 3-1 win.
Colgate freshman forward Dani Palmer scored a pair of goals in her collegiate debut against Merrimack to collect Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors.
Boston University junior forward Tess Csejka, Bucknell sophomore forward Lily Neilson, Colgate junior defender Rachel Alderfer and Holy Cross senior midfielder Sinead Walsh received an honorable mention for their performances last week.
American Ranked No. 21 in NFHCA DI Coaches Preseason Poll
American, the defending Patriot League and preseason favorite, opened the season ranked No. 21 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Preseason Poll released on Aug. 23.
2022 Patriot League Field Hockey Standings (through Aug. 28)
| School |
PL |
PL Pct. |
Overall |
Overall Pct. |
| American |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-1 |
.500 |
| Boston University |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-1 |
.500 |
| Colgate |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-1 |
.500 |
| Holy Cross |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-1 |
.500 |
| Lafayette |
0-0 |
.000 |
1-1 |
.500 |
| Bucknell |
0-0 |
.000 |
0-2 |
.000 |
| Lehigh |
0-0 |
.000 |
0-2 |
.000 |
PATRIOT LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Federica Turina Dellamaggiore, American, So., Midfielder, Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina
*Dellamaggiore recorded her first career hat trick to lead American to a 4-0 victory over Central Michigan on Sunday in East Lansing, Mich.
*The sophomore midfielder scored three goals on six shots, five shots on goal, to lead the Eagles to their first victory of the 2022 season.
*Her first goal came at the 9:22 mark in the first quarter. She had two more goals in the second and fourth quarters, respectively.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., Defender, Den Bosch, Netherlands/Stedelijk Gymnasium Den Bosch
*Hefting anchored a Lafayette defense that guided the Leopards to a 1-1 opening weekend, including a 3-1 victory over Bryant on Sunday.
*The preseason defensive player of the year helped the Leopards hold the Bulldogs to five shots with just two on goal in the victory.
*On Friday, she recorded a defensive save in the Leopards’ 1-0 loss against Temple in their season opener.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., Goalkeeper, Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson
*Underwood posted a five-save shutout in American’s 4-0 victory over Central Michigan on Sunday.
*The preseason goalkeeper of the year made a pair of saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the seventh shutout of her career.
*She made two saves in a 3-1 loss at Michigan State in the Eagles’ season opener.
PATRIOT LEAGUE FIELD HOCKEY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Dani Palmer, Colgate, Fr., Forward, Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell
*Palmer scored two goals in her first collegiate match to lead Colgate to a 4-1 victory over Merrimack on Friday. *The freshman forward found the back of the cage 40 seconds into the match to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Her second goal came at the 20:38 mark in the second quarter to put them in front, 3-0.
*Palmer’s two goals against Merrimack came on two shots.
HONORABLE MENTION
Tess Csejka, Boston University, Jr., Forward, Orange, Conn./Amity Regional
*Csejka scored one goal in each of the Terriers’ two games to help her squad go 1-1. She scored the game-tying goal in a 2-1 win over Providence on Friday.
Lily Neilson, Bucknell, So., Forward, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia/The Armidale School
*Neilson scored two goals in as many games during the opening weekend, including a game-tying goal in the third quarter of an eventual 2-1 loss to No. 9 Louisville. She also scored one goal in a 6-2 loss against James Madison.
Rachel Alderfer, Colgate, Jr., Defender, Norristown, Pa./Methacton
*Alderfer recorded two defensive saves in Colgate’s loss against Rider on Sunday.
Sinead Walsh, Holy Cross, Sr., Midfielder, Port Elizabeth, South Africa/Collegiate Girls’
*Walsh led Holy Cross with one goal and one assist in the Crusaders’ 3-2 victory over UC Davis on Saturday. She scored the game-tying goal at the 40:37 mark in the third quarter before assisting the game-winner less than three minutes later.
Offensive Player of the Week
8.29 – Federica Turina Dellamaggiore, American, So., M
Defensive Player of the Week
8.29 – Simone Hefting, Lafayette, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Week
8.29 – Bryn Underwood, American, Jr., GK
Rookie of the Week
8.29 – Dani Palmer, Colgate, Fr., F
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.